Our age "rectangle"Instead of U.S. age statistics looking like a traditional pyramid, it will look like a rectangle - there will be almost as many individuals over the age 85 as there are under the age of 5. This is largely thanks to Baby Boomers and long life spans.
Photo: Tamir Kalifa, FRE

Our age "rectangle"Instead of U.S. age statistics looking like a...

How it's changedIn 1965, more than 10 percent of the population was between ages 0 and 4, and less than 1 percent were over 85.
Photo: Getty Images

How it's changedIn 1965, more than 10 percent of the population was...

And will continue to changeAlready in 2015, almost 7 percent of the population will be between the ages 0 and 4, and almost 3 percent will be over the age 85. The rest of the age cohorts (measured in increments of five years) will measure roughly the same size.
Photo: Craig Hartley, Freelance

And will continue to changeAlready in 2015, almost 7 percent of the...

The BoomersIn fact, 10,000 Baby Boomers will turn 65 every day between now and the year 2030.
Photo: BOB OWEN, San Antonio Express-News

The BoomersIn fact, 10,000 Baby Boomers will turn 65 every day...

Our changing colorsIn 1960, the U.S. population was 85 percent white, and by 2060 it will be just 43 percent white.

Our changing colorsIn 1960, the U.S. population was 85 percent...

Our new "racial tapestry"Since 1965, America has seen more than 40 million immigrants. About half of them are Hispanic and about every three in 10 are Asian.
Photo: Matt York, STF

Our new "racial tapestry"Since 1965, America has seen more than 40...

Protecting the safety netAs Baby Boomers age and retire at a rapid rate, it puts pressure on younger generations to foot the bill. In order to sustain Social Security and Medicare, the equation that worked in the 20th century must be changed for the 21st.

Only 6 percent of millennials (ages 18-33) believe they will receive Social Security benefits when they retire.
Photo: Robin Rombach, McClatchy-Tribune News Service

There will be many more faces from various generations, in fact, as life expectancy increases. Many Americans will also seem racially unidentifiable. Pew Research Center explored the country's transformation from 1960 to today and into the future in its new book, "The Next America."

ABOVE: See a condensed version of its main findings.

The main takeaway is that in a few decades, the country will have a bigger population than it has ever seen, and will have to find new ways to serve both the young and old.